CONTENTS. IX 



Chap. XIX., Page 107.— THE LANGUAGE OF WILD-FOWL ; advantages 

 to tlic sportsman — Pleasing reflectious^-Thc author's experience — Different 

 notes of water-fowl ; remarkable instinct — St. KUdian fowlers — Sentry wild- 

 fowl — Experiences at the decoy — The punter's reward — Advantages of mimicrj\ 



Chap. XX., Page 112.— THE FLIGHT OF WILD-FOWL.— Ancient augm-ies 

 of birds — Peculiai'ities of tlie flight of water-fowl — The art of distinguishing 

 the species as they fly ; ditto as they sit upon the water. 



Chap. XXI., Page 116.— THE GUNNING PUNT; description and dimensions 

 of ; distinction between flat-bottomed and flat-floored ; the most approved form 

 — Clench-bunt punts — Tell-tales — Advice to the punting tp-o — Hampshire 

 punts— Essex punts — Two-handed punts. 



Chap. XXII., Page 122.— PUNT GUNS ; the great desideratum ; importance of 

 correct elevation ; instructions in the art of elevating to the most effective 

 range — Practical experience — Cause and effect — Errors of the inexperienced 

 — Gun breechings and recoil springs ; various modes of checlring the 

 recoU — Colonel Hawker's patent recoil spring — Mode of firing without a check. 



Chap. XXIIL, Page 128.— MANAGEMENT OF THE PUNT GUN.— Prelimi- 

 naiy remarks — Objections to loading spoons — Loading the punt-gun ; caution 

 in di'a-iving the charge — Oakum wadding versus punched wads — Firing the 

 pnnt-gun ; tipping the punt -gun — Colonel Hawker's double-barrelled punt-guns 

 condemned — The stancliian gun ; method of using it on land — Colonel 

 Hawker's impracticable inventions. 



Chap. XXIV., Page 140— PUNTING BY DAYLIGHT— made easy; rudiments 

 of the art ; modern improvements in since Colonel Hawker's time ; exciting 

 sport — Paddles — The day for ducks — Extraoi'dinary shot — The scene of slaugh- 

 ter — The science of killuig large numbers with the punt-gun — Practical experi- 

 ences — Secrets of success — Old hands — Fair chances— The rules of punting — 

 Disappointments accounted for — Rough water — Perils of the sport — Warnings 

 —Disguises — Practical Hints — Public waters and wild-fowl preserves — Neces- 

 sity of early rising — Advantageous positions — Hunting on the Delaware — A 

 fall on the ooze — Splashers — Perilous predicament; rescue from a watery grave. 



Chap. XXV., Page 152.— WILD-FOWLING IN DRIFT-ICE.— Old-fashioned 

 diversion — Predictions of sportsmen — Hard winters — An arctic scene— The 

 practised fowler — Perils of the sport ; practical experiences ; precautions — Ice- 

 bergs — The first breath of a thaw — Safest form of punt — Windy weather — 

 Drift ice — A reckless adventurer : set fast in the ice ; rescued 5 again incau- 

 tious ; his death. 



Chap. XXVI., Page 158.— THE SAILING PUNT; its advantages; personal 

 experiences ; caution — Colonel Hawker's sailing punt ; projjer form and dimen- 

 sions ; rigging and soiling the piint — Agreeable surprises ; warnings to the in- 

 experienced. 



Chap. XXVIL, Page 164.— NIGHT PUNTING.— Importance of familiarity with 

 notes and noises of wild-fowl — Light and shade — Wind — Moonlight — Setting 

 to buxls— Widgeon : their last legs — Desirable oppoi-tunltles — White water — 

 Perfection of the art — Starlight — Ground ebb — Cloudy atmosphere — Du-ections 

 to the novice — Birds "in charm" — Calm nights — Danger of wandering on the 

 ooze at night — Lamentable occurrence at Brightlingsea, Essex — Windy nights. 



Chap. XXVIII., Page 170.— NIGHT PUNTING (continued) .—mghlj satisfac- 

 tory sport — Golden opportunities — Science of night punting — Anxious moments 

 — The punting parson — Anecdote of a most perilous adventure, and providen- 

 tial escape — Rules of night punting — Gentlemen gunners — Serious accidents — 

 The punting shoemaker — A laiob of widgeon — Muzzle to muzzle. 



Chap. XXIX., Page 176.— SLEDGING FOR WILD-FOWL; contemptible occu- 

 pation — Lymington sledgers — Launching punts — Explanation of the pursuit ; 

 dangers attendinsj it. 



